Obama’s Leadership Deficits

Obama is a historic president and up against an opposition party with too many corrupt, idiotic, and powerful people. Yet, I have some quarrels with the Obama Administration, having failed, at times, in offering up courageous leadership. I will give two salient examples of that.

One is marijuana related. Now in 2014, innumerous states have legalized medical marijuana and two states have legalized recreational marijuana. However, federal law still considers marijuana an illegal and dangerous narcotic in the same category as heroin and cocaine. It is now common knowledge that it is ludicrous to make these comparisons.

Federal policy, interfering with scientific research, is denying the medical benefits to too many people who would greatly have their lives enhanced by its use. It is well known that people afflicted with MS, cancer, brain injuries and impairments, just to name a few, can be helped by the medical benefits of marijuana. It’s time for president Obama to provide leadership in this area and, at least, legalize medical marijuana.

A second problematic area is the Obama Administration’s view of Edward Snowden. Snowden has significantly altered the public consciousness of spying in this country. The veracity of his revelations have not been challenged and the reverberations continue as the sleeping public now realizes privacy has been compromised. The administration’s view is that Snowden violated his oath and has jeopardized national security. They want to prosecute him and the prospect is 35 years in prison.

The Snowden situation parallels Daniel Ellsberg and the “Pentagon Papers” during the Vietnam War. Ellsberg stole secret Pentagon papers and illegally revealed them to the New York Times, who published them. The “Pentagon Papers” clearly showed that the Johnson Administration had lied to the American public for the justification of going into Vietnam. With impending prosecution for treason, Ellsberg holed up in sanctuaries and ultimately was pardoned.

Obama, though embarrassed by Snowden’s stark disclosures, needs to respect that it has created a worthwhile debate if we are to be a free society. President Obama needs to be a courageous leader and pardon Edward Snowden.

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6 thoughts on “Obama’s Leadership Deficits”

Regarding spying:
Neighbors spy! People are often wanting to know. What about nosy bodies? Did one really think yoour and their conversations were private? If one believes in God do you think God is not listening? While living in Africa. I was white in a totally black culture surrounded by a tribal people. I loved them and I think there was compatability. I never thought for a minute that I was not being watched by the central government, local government and people trying to figure out what I was doing there. I had no real possessions that i was afraid of losing. I was not conniving to steal or become powerful. There was nothing that I needed to keep secret. There is something very peaceful in being free.

Would I want to be Obama after Bush destroyed our government, after Bush hit the beehive of
Islamic fear of the crusader mentality, impoverished our country with two wars and no taxes to pay for the wars, after raising the ire of fundamentalism in our country, after loading the supreme court with Christian fundamentalism, after buying the house of representative, and also his own elections?
Would I wish Obama to stand taller? Yes. Who am I not standing in his shoes.

Do illegal sellers, drug dealers, and powerful people make too much money, making the drug illegal to make it legal and above board? Does the pharmaceutical industry have enormous interests in keeping the medical benefits illegal? Do gun and alcohol interests wish to keep marijuana industry controlled? Does religion wish to control mind altering drugs? God forbid that marijuana open our minds to another level of consciousness? Is marijuana more or less addictive than alcohol or sugar or legal drugs or other addictions?
David Stang